Mass Indictments at LA County Sheriff's Department

December 10, 2013

(LOS ANGELES) — The U.S. attorney’s office announced on Monday that 18 current or former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials, including lieutenants and sergeants, have been indicted due to allegations of abuse and misconduct inside L.A. County jails. The allegations include beating up prisoners and unlawful detainment.

Prosecutor Andre Birotte Jr. said the “behavior that had become institutionalized” also included obstructing a probe into misconduct at the Men’s Central Jail.

Birotte Jr. told reporters that the charges from the investigation, which came from five cases, range from conspiracy and obstruction of justice to improperly arresting and searching visitors to the jails.

Even for a city that has a problem with crooked or rogue cops for as long as anyone can remember, the charges were stunning.

In one alleged incident, a sheriff’s sergeant told deputies to use excessive force on jail visitors, including beating up people in a deputy break room. One visitor suffered a fractured arm.

Gabriel Carrillo, who was visiting his brother when his arm was broken, said following the indictments, “Justice is being served.”